November 4, 1924 - August 25, 2022
Calvin J. Oss, age 97, of Minneapolis, passed away August 25, 2022. Born November 4, 1924 in Spring Valley, MN.
Preceded in death by wife, Mary Louise and daughter, Christine; parents, Gjert and Julia; sister, Gertrude Thoe and brother, John. Survived by brother, Donald; children, Gerald (Susan), Thomas (Kathleen) and Daniel (Nancy); grandchildren, Brian (Michelle), David (Julie), Keif (Ann), Patrick (Kaeleigh), Jeanne, Jennifer Eller (Grant), Stephanie, Lori Kelly (Mickey); and 10 great-grandchildren.
Calvin was a WWII United States Merchant Marine veteran. He married his soulmate, Nurse Cadet Mary Lou Kaldahl in 1948. They lived in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis for 70 years. He was active in the scouting movement with Troop 6 at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, a member of American Merchant Marine Veterans, American Legion Post 435, Richfield and Ft. Snelling Chapel Foundation. Following retirement from Minnegasco, he and his wife spent summers at their lake cabin and winters in Pharr, Texas volunteering at the children's refuge in Reynosa, Mexico. Cal enjoyed his family, friends and neighbors. He cherished his Norwegian roots and connections to his family in Norway. He was an avid reader, interested in history, current affairs and politics among many subjects. A thrifty child of the depression era, he saved everything and could repair almost anything. Cal will be remembered for the many stories about his life experiences that he shared with others.
Special thanks to the caring staff at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.
Memorials preferred to Children's Haven International, 400 Minnesota Rd., Pharr, TX 78577
Interment
Fort Snelling National Cemetery
7601 34th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55450
To the Oss family in Minnesota
I want to express my condolences to the family for the loss of a very sweet, intelligent man. His social skills also made me appreciate his company very much. Even when in his eighties when I last saw him he was the same as in 1970 when we first met. I traveled with Calvin and Mary Lou, Jerry and Dan for a couple of weeks at the age of fifteen helping them speak to relatives in Norway. It was a lot of fun and very helpful for me trying to learn English. All the above also goes for Mary Lou. We really loved her too and we are sad that she is also gone. Two of my sons joined me for a visit in 2011 and we stayed at the cabin for two nights. My boys were also very charmed by the two. My youngest when asked to rate the trip said that meeting our relatives topped the list (not the helicopter ride over Manhattan, as I had expected =))
Losing a mother or a father hurts so much- our thoughts are with the family
Fondly, Toril Herdis Strand Øiaas, Joar Solstad, Magnus Solstad, Morten Solstad Øiaas and Mikal Solstad Øiaas
Thank you so much for your thoughtful, kind expression of sympathy. I know that our father Calvin placed great value in our families connection to his fathers homeland and all of our family in Norway.
Tom and Kathy Oss family
Please accept my deepest condolences for your loss.